Ah, Bloomington. Home to Illinois State University, a well-regarded institute of higher learning. A college where the ratio of women to men is somewhere in the neighborhood of 10 to 1. Sorry, ISU, but that's what gets talked about the most when it's college search time.
Bloomington can also boast of The Chateau of Bloomington, a fine venue for the wedding reception of any bride's dream. And on Saturday last, Bloomington laid claim to another star for their crown. They've been put on the map by that noble son of Ireland, Hilary Quinlan.
No one in Ireland had ever heard of Bloomington, Illinois before, and now it's all over the newpapers. Mr. Quinlan is no ordinary Irish citizen, you see, but he was once the mayor of Waterford City and he is currently sitting on the city council (Fine Gael, to Enda Kenny's chagrin). What did this august gentleman do that created such an uproar?
Back home, his actions would not have caused much of a ripple. It's almost common, at least at Traveller weddings, for fights to break out. So he pounded on his wife's niece, the settled community might say. Helena Brown got punched a couple of times, two other guests beat up their brother, and for that the Bloomington police were called in and arrests were made. No weapons, no bats or hurleys or brass knuckles? Not much of a brawl compared to some weddings.
Mr. Quinlan was a guest of the McLean County Jail for two nights before someone scraped up $100 for his bail. Now he's been told to appear in court on 7 November, and State's Attorney Bill Yoder is looking to see whether the Waterford councillor can leave the country between now and then. Sure and he wouldn't come back to face the music, would he, once he's away. Mr. Yoder may be forced to confiscate Mr. Quinlan's passport. Domestic battery isn't such a great crime, not like murder at any rate, but if he's done the crime, he must do the time.
The McLean County clerk and the Bloomington police spokesman are frazzled because of all the requests for information from Ireland, and trying to cut through the various brogues is really a strain. And what more can they say, anyway? About twenty wedding guests were duking it out, the police restored order, Mr. Quinlan was arrested for fighting.
What a grand affair it must have been. The bride has memories to cherish, and did the videographer get it all?
8 comments:
And what wasnt mentioned was the whole affair was started by the brides father who couldnt get over the fact that his older brother chose to get on with his life without excluding certain brothers. He has had no contact with these brothers for over six years and they chose this wedding to prove they cant let go. The cowards attacked in a group while the older brother was in the mens room and one brothers wife and sister also got involved. What kind of father would do this at his own daughters wedding? Damien Brown of Richmond Illinois thats who!
And is there anything better than a grand family affair for resurrecting the bad blood?
A wee drop and a bit of prodding and they're squaring off to make their point -- with force. If not at a wedding, it's over lunch after a funeral.
I'm sure Mr. Brown has his perspective on the feud. Pity the judge who has to hear this case and referee between the warring clans. Has anyone told Mr. Quinlan that he's to address the judge as "Your Honor" rather than "My Lord"?
It may all sound funny and like a bit of a scrap to most but this was no ordinary drunken brawl it was a pre-meditated malice attack. Mr Quinlan had no reason to assault the woman in question. He is alledgedly a well respected waterford city man. Did he think no-one would hear about it? think again. and have we forgotten the bride and groom in all this? Well it was their day after all and despite what everyone thinks there are still some very decent people in that family who are nothing like Damien, Paul or Hilary and a few others I can't mention but know who they are
Ah, no, not funny at all. Absolutely hilarious, actually.
It's not the first wedding spoiled by family infighting and it's not to be the last. Sure there would have been a scuffle in Cana if Himself hadn't provided more wine.
No one would have heard of the battle but for Mr. Quinlan's political position. That was all that it made newsworthy, rather than yet another case of bad blood stirred up until it spilled.
It is a pity you had to make a gratuitous racist comment about members of the Irish Travelling community.
Racist? And here I was, thinking that they were as Caucasian and natural born Irish as every other Irishman.
The folks in Bloomington just assume that everyone at the wedding party was drunk out of their minds, and all because they're Irish. Pity, that.
Only ones out of their minds and didnt have to be drunk were the band of thugs who started the whole thing. and really when you step back and think thats exactly what they are THUGS. please dont put all Irish or their other family members in the same catagory because we are all thankfully nothing like those lowlifes. Ive knowing the family for years and some are very nice people the thugs and spouses Im sorry to say are not
It's nothing to do with thuggery and all to do with blood. The Irish have no monopoly on family feuding.
From the perspective of someone on the outside looking in, the whole affair has the ring of farce.
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